Folding-table.



H. W. SELLNER.

FOLDING TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I9. 1911.

1,262,272. I Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET H. W. SELLNER. FOLDING-TABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19, 1917.

1,262,272, Patented Apr. 9,191&

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

"HI /1% f WWI two FOLDING TABLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 9, 1918.

Application filed April 19, 1917. Serial No. 163,240.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT W. SELLNER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Faribault, in the county of Rice and State of Minnesota,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tables; andI do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in particularly those known asStill another object is to provide a simply constructed table providedwith a few number of parts for carrying out the objects of my inventionand one which will be very efficient in operation.

With these and several other objects .in view the invention resides inthe novel features of construction, combination and ar rangement ofparts which will be more particularly referred to in the specificationand claims, and shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 represents a sideelevation of a table constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the plane of the line 22 of Fig. 1,the foldable leaves being in operative position with the leaf engagingarms arranged to support the same.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the leaf engaging arms in inoperativeposition:

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the plane of theline 44: of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar view with the parts folded.

In describing my invention I shall refer to similar parts in the severalviews by like reference characters. The preferred embodiment of thetable is shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the numeral .1indi' cates a relatively stationary portion of the top which issupported by a stationary standard 2 and a base 3 fixed to the lower endof the latter. The upper end of the standard 2- is fixed to a plate 4which is attached to the top 1, said plate also having the upper ends ofa plurality, in the present instance four, swinging standards 5 pivotedtherein, the lower ends of which are similarly connected with the base3.

These swinging standards are so pivoted to the plate 4 and the base 3that they have a slight vertical shifting movement relative to thestationary which will be hereinafter more particularly set forth.

A leaf6 is hinged to each longitudinal edge of the top 1, and may be ofany preferred shape so that when raised a table top of suitable shapeand size will be formed. Ordinary hinges 7 serve to connect the leaveswith the top 1, the same being fixed to the under sides of these parts.When the leaves 6 are raised as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, they are held inthis position by means of the laterally extending leaf supporting arms8, one of each projects from the upper end of each swinging standard 5.These leaf supporting arms 8 standard 2, the purpose of,

engage shouldered blocks 9 when they are in active position, said blocksthereby forming stops. It will be noted that the portion of the blockswhich are first engaged by the arms 8 as the latter move from theposition shown inFig. 3 to that illustrated in Fig. 2 are curved as at10, thereby permitting said arms 'to be more readily moved intoposition. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the blocks are carried by theleaves 6 and are disposed at rightangles to the arms 8 when the same areextended as in Fig. 2.

Means are preferably employed for automatically moving the arms 8 of theswing ing standards 5 from the position occupied in Fig. 3 when theleaves 6 are raised as in Figs. 1 and 4. In the present embodiment ofthe invention the arms 8 carried by two of the swinging standards 5 areused for i supportlng each of the leaves 6 and in arranging thestructure for automatically moving the arms into position as abovementioned, a pair of links 11 at one end of the slide 12, are used. Theother ends of the links ll are pivoted to one leaf 13 of a pair ofhinges 14, the other leaves of which are secured tothe adjacent pivotedtogether arms 8. The slide 12 is adapted to reciprocate on a rod 15which is fixed between a pair of brackets 16 on one of the leaves 6. Anextension between the inner end of the slide and the adjacent face ofthe inner bracket 16. A handle 18 of any preferred design is secured tothe slide 12 so that the same may be readily moved on the rod. Thisarrangement of parts is used for connecting each pair of standards 5with the adjacent leaf 6 of the table.

The operation of this inventionis readily evident from the severalfigures of the drawings but briefly described is as follows: Assumingthat a table constructed as shown in the drawings has been stored in afolded position as in Fig. 5, and it is desired to arrange the parts sothat they will appear as in Fig. 1, one of the leaves is lifted from itsvertical to its horizontal position, or both leaves mayv besimultaneously moved in this manner. This raising of the leaves causesthe springs 17 to exert their tension to force the slides outwardly fromthe inner ends of the rods 15 to the outer ends as shown in Fig. 2,thereby acting upon the links 11 to move the arms 8 as shown in thisfigure. The strength of the springs 17 is such that the outer ends ofthe arms 8 will be forcibly engaged with the stops formed by the blocks9, and thus the leaves of the table will be held in a horizontalposition.

When it is again desired to fold the table the handles carried by theslides 12 are grasped and the slides forced inwardly against the tensionof the springs 17. This movement causes the inner ends of the links tomove away from each other and to move the arms 8 until they are arrangedparallel to each other and beneath the top 1. The leaves are then freeto drop to vertical positions 'where they will remain until .againmanually raised, the weight of the leaves being sufficient to overcomethe tension of the springs 17 when in this position.

Since the table frequently has to rest upon a floor more or less unevenit is preferable that the same may be supported by four legs orat fourpoints spaced approximately equidistant from a common center.Therefore'l provide this improved table with four outwardly projectingfeet 20, one of which is carried by each of the swinging standards5 andis disposed immediately below the arm 8 carried by the upper endthereof. lVhen the parts of the table are arranged as shown in Fig. 5,or in other words, folded, the majority of the weight is supported by abase 3, but as it is desirable that this weight be distributed to theseveral feet 20 when the parts are in operative position, fourwedgeshaped members 21 are secured to the plate 4: in such positionsthat they will be engaged by the arms helical spring 17 is disposed 8when said arms are positioned to carry the weight of the leaves In otherwords as the arms swing outwardly to their extended positions theyengage the inclined faces of these members 21 and are forced downwardly,such movement being permitted by the slight play between the ends of theswinging standards 5, and the base 3 and the plate 4 as hereinbefore setforth. This slight movement of the several parts raises the'base 3 atrifle so that the weight of the table is placed on the feet 20. I

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanylng draw.

ings, it will be obvious that a much improved table has been producedand since all of the parts are of simple construction,

the table may be inexpensively nianufactured.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A folding table comprising in coinbination, a top, a pair of leaveshinged thereto, a base supporting the weight of said table, a stationarystandard fixed to the top and the base, a plurality of swingingstandards pivoted to said top and base and surrounding said stationarystandard, a' leaf supporting arm carried by the upper end of each ofsaid swinging standards to engage said leaves when the same are raised,an out-' wardly projecting foot formed on the lower end of each of saidswingmg standards, a

plurality of wedge members carried by-the top to be engaged by the leafsupporting arms when the leaves areraised, whereby to shift the weightfrom the base to said feet.

2. A folding table comprising in combina-' tion a top having a pairof'leaves hinged thereto, a centrally disposed standard for normallysupporting'the weight of thetable,

a plurality of swinging standards pivoted to the top and base of theaforesaid standard, wedge blocks disposed on the under sideof saidleaves, leaf supporting arms carriedby the swinging standards toengagesaid wedge blocks whereby when said swinging stand' 'f ards areswung outward the leaf supporting arms will be engaged by said wedgeblocksand willbe securely held in position and a plurality of wedgesdisposed under said top to be engagedby the leaf supporting armswhereby, when the same'are swung outward the weight of table will beshifted from the central standard to the swinging standards;

3. A folding table comprising in combination, a top having a table leafhinged there'-' to, a pair of swinging standards pivoted to said top,leaf supporting arms carried onthe P upper ends of rod carried by saidtable leaf having a slide movable thereon, a spring for forcing saidsaidswinging standards,

slide outwardly, a pair of links havingone T of their ends pivoted-tosaid slide the other ends of said links being hinged to the adjacentleaf supporting arm, whereby when leaves are moved upward the swingingstandards will be moved outward.

4. A folding table comprising in combination, a top, a table leaf hingedthereto, a pair of swinging standards pivoted to said top, a leafsupporting member fixed to the upper end of each of said standards, arod carried by said table leaf, a slide movable on said rod, anexpansion spring for forcing said slide outwardly, a pair of links, oneend of each being pivoted to said slide, and a hinged connection betweenthe other ends of said links and the adjacent leaf supporting arm, oneof said links being fixed to each of said arms.

5. A folding table comprising in combination, a top, a table leaf hingedthereto, a pair of swinging standards pivoted to said top, a leafsupporting arm carried by the upper end of each of said standards, ahinge fixed to each of said arms, a pair of links, each pivoted by oneend to one leaf of each hinge, a rod carried by said table leaf, a slidemovable on said rod, the free ends of said links being pivoted to saidslide, and an expansion spring engaging said slide to force the sameoutwardly.

6. A foldable table comprising in combination, a top having a table leafhinged thereto, a plurality of swinging standards pivoted to said top,leaf supporting arms carried by said standards, a hinge carried by eachof said arms, a pair of links having one end pivoted to a leaf of saidhinges, a

rod carried by said table leaf having a movable slide thereon, the freeends of said links being pivoted to said slide, an expansion spring toforce said slide outward whereby when said leaves are moved upward theswinging standards will be moved outward.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HERBERT W. SELLNER.

Witnesses:

ARCHER YOUNG, GEO. A. WESTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

